Exit Humanity
by KatyRye
Summary: As the Grissom family is taking a much needed family vacation, they are taken hostage by two criminals. GSR
1. Chapter 1

Sara hadn't been camping in ages. As a mother with a young child, she had decided that it was a good time to introduce her daughter to the environment before social media and texting had absorbed her life. As a child, Sara had loved to camp. She loved being observant of nature and adventurous. The day was beautiful and crisp. As she rode in the passenger seat, she marveled at the beauty of the wildlife. The pine trees were tall and they seemed to touch the sky with their pointed tops.

Her husband, Gil, was driving. She had intended to make it a mother-daughter bonding trip, but when Gil announced that he was coming it was transformed into a family event. To say their marriage was in a rough place was an understatement. It had been downright uncomfortable to be alone in the same room with him, let alone locked in a car for hours.

It wasn't a lack of love that was affecting them, but a lack of patience.

"Daddy, I don't want to sleep in the dirt," Nora whined from the back seat. "The bugs will get in my ears!"

Gil laughed softly at his daughter. "We'll be in a tent," he said. "and if they get in your ears then we will just dig them out."

Nora clasped her hands over her ears. "No!" she yelled at him.

"Gil, " Sara said in a whisper. "Don't terrorize her. She'll never let you live it down."

Gil took his wife's hand. "She'll have so much fun she'll forget all about insects in her ears."

Sara slipped her hand out of her husband's grasp. She stared ahead at the road, her eyes not meeting his.

"Just the same," she said.

Gil sighed and lowered his voice. "Sara, I'm trying here. Cut me some slack."

"Why do you think I am still here?" she asked. "This is the slack."

The car felt back into an awkward silence as they continued down the road. It had only been a few months ago that they were happy, but Gil's new position as the dean of the Biology department was taking a toll on things. He had been acting like his wife and daughter didn't even exist. She knew that his new job came with obligations and responsibilities, but when Nora started to feel neglected that was when Sara stood up.

Gil had disregarded all of her concerns and told her that she was being foolish for thinking the way she was. He insisted that things would go back to normal, but they hadn't and she was still holding her breath. It made her feel like a single parent.

~8~

Before settling on a trail, Sara had consulted many brochures. It was Nora's spring break from school and she did not want her daughter sitting at home. She had picked a backpacking trail that was rated moderate to easy. The hiking gear that she had purchased was expensive, but worth the investment. They planned to hike a trail that went around a medium sized mountain and then looped back around to the starting point. In total, the hike would last four days.

When Gil had finally parked the car in a large gravel parking lot, Sara climbed out. They had been driving for hours and it was a relief to stretch her cramped legs. Nora unfastened her safety seat and rushed to pull her pack out of the trunk.

"Open it!" she yelled.

Gil pressed the button that released the trunk and Sara pulled the lid up and lifted Nora's bag out. As she settled the bag on the little girl's back, Gil pulled a folded confirmation page out of his wallet.

"I'll go pay," he said.

Sara gave him a nod. "I'll have everything ready to go," she said as she took the car keys from him.

Gil leaned over to whisper in her ear. "See, that was the nicest thing you've said to me in months," he joked. "that wasn't so bad, was it?"

Sara turned to look him in the eye, her face looked serious but she couldn't help but smile. "Just go and pay," she said. "I'm not going to drop you like a bad date if that's your concern."

"We're getting along already," he called as he walked away from her.

"Don't bank on it, professor," she said back as she turned to reach for a can of insect spray.

~8~

Gil opened the door to the visitor's center and stepped in. Off the entryway he saw a display that housed maps. He browsed them, located the one that featured his trail, and took it. He wasn't dumb enough to chance a hike without it. In front of him, two men were busy talking to a ranger and pointing to a map. When they saw Gil they stepped aside and watched as he handed over his confirmation and debit card.

"You hiking alone?" the ranger asked.

"I have my wife and daughter," he said.

The ranger slid a clipboard over to him. "Names and ages," he said, tapping the board.

Gil took the pen that was attached to the board and scribbled down the ages of Sara and Nora. When he was finished, he stopped for a moment and stared. Was Nora really seven? It felt like she had just been born and she was wrapped in a standard issue hospital blanket.

"Here is your first aid bag," the ranger said, handing over a yellow bag. "It comes with bear spray and a whistle, but if you stay on the trail you don't have to worry about bears. You can grab a canoe outside. If you need help, rangers are always walking the trails."

Gil took the bag. "Thanks," he said as he left.

After he was gone the two other men looked at each other. "What trail is he taking?" they asked the ranger.

~8~

As Sara finished spraying Nora's exposed skin with the repellent, Gil approached and handed Sara the first aid bag.

"We're all set," he said.

Nora tugged on his jacket. "Daddy can you put Mr. Bear in my bag?" she asked, holding up a limp teddy bear that Sara had patched.

Gil took his daughter's beloved friend and stowed him away in the child-sized hiking pack. He gave the contents a glance before he zipped it closed: a coloring book, a fresh pack of crayons, a box of cookies, her blanket and pillow, and her favorite book.

"Ready to go?" he asked Sara as he zipped his daughter's bag.

Sara gave him a nod. "Let's roll," she said.

Nora adjusted her hat. "Roll out," she said, copying her mother.

Gil led his family over to a group of canoes that were on display beside the lake. Sara went over to select their paddles, while Gil selected a canoe and dragged it to the edge of the water. They were going to paddle to their starting point.

Gil climbed in first so that he could steer, Sara placed Nora in the middle and gave her a small paddle, and she sat in the rear. When everyone was settled, Sara pushed away from the edge with her paddle and the canoe began to glide away.

"Say bye to the car," Sara said as they drifted farther from the shore.

"Goodbye!" Nora called.

~8~

As they glided through the water, Sara watched as Gil pointed out various water bugs to Nora. He was doing his best to try and turn her on to his passion, but she saw Nora was not interested. She would probably never be interested in physics either.

"It's so pretty out here," Sara commented. "I just love how open it is."

Gil agreed. "It's a change," he said. "Quite romantic too."

Sara laughed and shook her head. "You're not going to give up, are you?" she asked.

"Not a chance," he said. "I'll be seeking your favor until the day I die. Then maybe I will still seek your favor."

Sara laughed out loud at him. It felt good to laugh again and take things a little more lightly. Maybe things would start to get better for them after this trip. Maybe this time away was what they needed to bring them closer together.

"Daddy, can I paddle?" Nora asked.

"Of course," Gil said, turning to her. "Hold onto it tightly and just dip it over the edge like mommy and me."

Sara watched as Nora dipped her paddle into the water and mimicked her father's motions. She brought her paddle out clumsily, brought it to the other side, and repeated her actions. She wasn't a professional, but she wasn't bad either.

* * *

 **~8~**

 **Well, I told myself I wouldn't post this, but I just cannot help it. It's like some kind of addiction**!


	2. Chapter 2

Nora paddled pretty well. They let her paddle until they were halfway to their destination and then Sara took over again. By the time they reached the shore, both she and Gil were winded. They relaxed in the canoe until they felt energy slowly seep back into their bodies.

The only food they packed was contained in a small, rolling cooler. It was light enough to be carried uphill, but animal proof as well. Mostly it contained sandwich fixings, fruits, vegetables, and a few bottles of water.

Sara had also acquired a small, battery powered radio. They were not going to have much cell phone service, if any, and they needed to stay updated on the local news. I wouldn't be good if they found themselves trapped during a weather advisory.

Gil pulled the hiking map out of his bag. "If we get started now," he explained. "We'll be able to make it to the camping sites before sunset. They have a bath-house, so we can wash up."

Sara capped her bottle of water. "So I guess you'll be leading the way," she challenged sarcastically.

Gil looked back at her. "Well, since you know it all," he said, reaching over Nora to hand Sara the map. "Why don't you take the helm, dear?"

Sara took it from him with a smile. "Thanks," she said. "Don't mind if I do."

After everyone had climbed out, Gil pulled the canoe on shore. Nora watched carefully as he turned it over and stowed the paddles underneath.

"Why are you turning it upside-down?" she asked innocently.

"Oh, for many reasons," he explained. "We don't want it to slip away or get rained in."

Sara unfolded the map and looked it over. Gil's calculations had been correct. She was relieved that he was involved enough in this trip to pay close attention, but she also felt pride. He had been neglectful of his family for so many weeks, yet here he was swooping in and taking care of details.

~8~

The trail was marked well. Greenery stood on either side of the path, casting shadows. Birds sang their many songs and insects buzzed all around them. Sara loved the relaxing sounds of nature. It was good to escape from the hustle of the city.

Nora skipped ahead of them, turning her head from side to side. She was curious about everything around her and kept asking questions about the different plants that she saw. Sara wondered if botany was in the child's future, but only time would tell. For now she was content with watching her grow.

She and Gil walked side-by-side, the silence was thick and awkward. This was not what she wanted in the least bit. She loved her husband and if this was a family vacation, then dammit they were going to be happy.

Sara swallowed and nudged her husband with her elbow. "Thanks for coming," she said. "I guess."

Gil nudged her back. "I am glad to come, I guess," he said, and then he lowered his voice. "I am sorry about the way things have been lately."

Sara jokingly widened her eyes. "So you are admitting there is a problem?" she asked.

Gil looked over at her. "Yes," he said. "Maybe I should take it down a few notches."

Sara scoffed and nudged him again. "Maybe?" she asked. "Try again."

"I will," Gil said. "I will take it down several notches. Are we okay?"

Sara looked over and met her husband's cool, blue eyes. "I believe so, Gilbert," she said, flashing him a wicked smile.

There was smoky flirtation behind her voice and at that moment Sara felt all of their struggles fade. She glanced ahead for a moment to see her daughter looking over her shoulder at them. She had asked them something, but neither one of them had heard.

"What, baby?" Sara asked.

"Can we stop?" Nora asked. "I'm tired."

"We're almost there," Gil said to her. He then placed a hand lightly on Sara's back. "You know I hate being called that."

Sara looked at him and smiled. "Why do you think I do it?" she teased.

~8~

When they stopped for the evening, Gil felt as if he had been walking for days. The family was completely exhausted and while Sara took Nora to shower, Gil set to putting the tent up. Sara had purchased a very spacious cabin tent that had a partition down the middle. It was difficult with only one person to assemble it, but when Sara returned she helped and it was raised in no time.

For supper that night they ate vegetable sandwiches. After Nora finished hers, she climbed into Gil's lap and fell asleep. For a while the adults sat in silence, listening to the bugs and watching the fire. Finally, Sara cleared her throat. She had something to say and she couldn't keep the secret any longer.

"I'm pregnant," she whispered to him.

She bit down on her lower lip nervously and glanced over at him to gauge his response, but his expression was never easy to read. Gil Grissom was a man who played his cards close to his vest. He simply looked calmly at her, but Sara knew that inside his mind was working.

For the first time, she realized that she was afraid. She didn't know what to expect him to do with the information that she had just dropped at his feet. Now she wished that she had kept her mouth closed.

Finally he spoke. "How far along?" he asked, keeping his voice low.

Sara shrugged. "I'm not too sure," she said. "Maybe a month or so. I took a test before we left."

Again silence fell over them. After Nora was born, they had decided that she would be an only child. It wasn't that they didn't love being parents, but they were getting older. One had been a welcomed surprise, but two was something they had not anticipated. In reality it was their own fault. They hadn't taken the permanent precautions to keep from getting pregnant.

"I know we didn't plan this," she said as a tear escaped.

Gil shifted Nora to his other shoulder. "Look… let's …. Talk about this when we get home," he said. "Let's just relax and enjoy ourselves right now."

Sara wiped at a few rogue tears and stood. "I'll put her in bad," she said, reaching down for Gil to pass her Nora.

Gil transferred the sleeping child and for a moment, Sara was surprised at how heavy she was. It seemed like it was only yesterday she was able carry her around in her arms while she walked up and down the stairs. Just then she wondered if she wanted another baby. They didn't expect it, but she would relish the chance to hold an infant in her arms one more time.

Nora had been a curious baby. She always had her tiny hands somewhere where they didn't belong. It was a challenge to take her out to eat because, as a toddler, she would walk over to other people and talk to them. But overall, Nora had been a beautiful, sweet, and curly-haired baby. Sara loved to rock her and smell her hair.

As she lay her daughter down in her sleeping bag, Sara buried her nose in the child's hair and inhaled. She smelled like shampoo, but also of of happiness and young life. Then Sara decided that she did want another baby. She wanted to be pregnant and nurse an infant.

Behind her the tent unzipped and Gil entered. He looked at her sympathetically and gave her a smile. He always had a way of knowing how she was feeling. Maybe he felt the same way. Maybe he too was conflicted and wanted another baby.

"Sara… I-" Gil started.

Sara stopped him. "It's okay," she said. "Let's talk about it later."

She gave Nora a kiss and tucked Mr. Bear in next to her. Gil came to kneel beside her and then leaned down to kiss his daughter. Sara went around to the other side of the tent and dropped down on the blanket. Now that she was lying down, she felt exhaustion wash over her.

She shucked her pants off and tossed them into a corner where they would sit until morning. Gil came around as she was unhooking her bra under her shirt. Soon she felt the warmth of Gil's breath on the back of her neck. Smoothly Sara slipped a hand behind her back and guided one of his hands under her shirt. She needed to feel his touch.

* * *

REVIEWS ARE THE SECRET OF LIFE. THEY MAKE MY WORLD SEEM BRIGHT WHEN IT RAINS. PLEASE FILL MY WORLD WITH BRIGHTNESS!


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, Sara awoke to sunlight streaming in through the walls of the tent. Outside, birds were singing good morning to one another. Gil's place was empty beside her, but the happy voices outside told her what she needed to know.

Last night had been the first time that she had made love to her husband in a long time. It had been a blessing and a relief to have him all around her. Every time he touched her, she felt the tremendous amount of love that he had for her. The feeling of him, inside and around her, was enough to satisfy her for years.

Outside the air was cool and crisp. She was glad that they hadn't taken their trip in the summer, for it would be sweltering. Nora and Gil sat across from one another at the picnic table, playing a game with a deck of cards. When he saw her, he slid over to make room for her. That one gesture, though so small, defined their relationship. To her, it meant that her place was always beside him.

"Good morning mommy," Nora said when Sara took her place beside Gil.

Sara smiled at her joyfully. "Good morning," she replied.

Gil looked at her sideways. "Mommy, you slept in a little," he teased as he shuffled the cards. "Didn't you sleep well?"

Sara stretched. "I did," she said, but then with a devilish smile added. "This little thing kept poking me last night. Wonder what it was."

Gil chuckled. "If you it bothers you again," he said, returning her smile. "Just yell."

"What was bothering you?" Nora asked fanning out the cards Gil had given her.

Sara shrugged. "I don't know it was too small to see," she replied.

"Mommy, put some food in your mouth," Gil joked pushing a banana at her.

Sara laughed and unpeeled the banana. The map lay on the table and Sara pulled it closer. He had highlighted the trail that they were going to take that day and it looked like it went right past a waterfall. It was something that Nora would remember for the rest of her life.

"If we leave at noon," Gil said as her handed Nora one of his cards. "We'll be at the next campsite by sunset… give or take."

Sara nodded. "Well troops," she said. "Let's get started."

"Daddy go fish," Nora said to Gil.

~8~

As the family walked, they took pictures of nature. Nora wanted Gil to capture the image of every chipmunk that she saw, but he told her that if she was quiet then deer would come out. Sara didn't believe it would actually work, but it did and Nora rode in silence atop her father's shoulders.

As they walked, Gil intertwined his fingers with his wife's. No words were needed as Sara felt him brush his thumb gently across her palm and the back of her hand. His touch was always the most gentle and loving. It told her everything that she needed to know about how he felt.

"Look Ted," Sara heard a man call. "People!"

Gil and Sara felt their comfortable silence shatter and they turned to see two men lumber up the path. Though they were both smiling, Gil felt an immediate twinge of caution. He let go of Sara's hand and Sara felt the energy of his uneasiness.

"Sorry," one of the men said as he approached. "The name's Ted. This is Allen."

The man who introduced himself as Ted looked like he had just been paroled from a high security prison. Both men towered over Gil and their combined body mass were probably that of a horse. Sara shifted uncomfortably and looked up at Nora, who was eyeing both men with hesitation.

"So what are you guys doing out here?" Allen asked, giving Sara a smile.

Gil hesitated. "Just a family vacation," he said.

He recognized both men as the ones who he had seen at the visitor's center, but he wasn't sure if they recognized him. He felt annoyed that these strangers were butting in on his quality time with his family, but he wanted to resist sounding like an asshole.

"I hope you folks don't mind if we tag along for a little while," Ted said. "Our trail will fork off in about a mile or so."

Gil smiled a tight smile. "Of course not," he said, attempting to be polite.

The five of them continued down the path, and Sara cast Gil a glance. She saw the cogs in his mind turning and that his jaw was tight. She took his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze.

"Hey Kid," Ted said, looking up at Nora.

Nora looked like she had been put in a spotlight. "Hi," she replied quietly.

Sara knew her daughter well. Nora was an extremely shy child, though that wasn't the case when she was younger. It wasn't clear as if it was caused by her parent's being homebodies or that she took after her father, who was naturally reserved.

"You folks from around here?" Ted asked, giving Gil a very unwelcomed pat on the back.

Sara answered for him. "We don't live far," she lied.

"And what do we call ya'll?" Allen piped up.

Gil spoke up. "I am Dr. Grissom," he said. "This is my wife and daughter."

Ted laughed. "Nice to meet you Dr. Grissom, wife, and daughter," he boomed loudly.

They walked for what seemed like a long time. Nora was silent, but she watched to the two strangers with wide-eyed curiosity. Each man took his turn asking Gil very invasive questions. They asked about his job, what kind of a car they drove, and even Nora's age. In Sara's eyes this raised a serious red flag. Finally they saw the fork ahead and the two men separated from them.

Gil sighed. "Thank God," he whispered, taking Sara's hand again.

"Daddy," Nora said as she shaped her father's hair into a Mohawk. 'Who was that?"

"Just some people," he answered.

~8~

That night at the campsite, Sara cooked some asparagus and they dipped the vegetables in dressing. They had seen many beautiful scenes and they had even spotted an abandoned beaver dam. Despite their run-in with Ted and Allen, it was shaping out to be a soothing trip.

Nora hadn't fallen asleep yet and she had convinced Gil to read with her from her _Treehouse Friends_ book. He was pronouncing the words clearly for his daughter and asking her to read them back to him. Sara sat back and watched the father-daughter interaction. Gil was such a loving father who doted on his daughter. Naturally he made mistakes and his absence the past few months had been harder because he was so affectionate. It made Sara remember the days when he held a tiny, wriggling Nora as she cried.

"Hello Dr. Grissom, wife, and daughter!" they heard Ted's familiar voice say.

Sara and Gil both snapped their necks in the direction of the voice and watched as the two men slinked out of the darkness. To Sara, it was a very insidious sight.

Gil patted Nora on the bottom. "Go see mommy," he said,

Sara held out her arms and Nora climbed into her lap with her book." What page are you on?" she asked, trying to distract her.

Gil stood and walked over to the two men. "I am not trying to be rude," he said in a neutral voice. "But we are trying to have some quality family time."

The mood change in almost an instant and Sara could feel it in the air. Ted put an arm around Gil and she was tempted to go intervene, but Nora was busy reading in her lap and she couldn't direct her attention towards any altercation. Sara strained to hear, but the men's voices were low.

"Here is the thing, Dr. Grissom," Ted started. "I kind of need you guys."

Gil had been worried before, but now he was in a full blown panic. He glanced back at his family and willed himself to remain calm. Allen stepped closer to him and Ted pulled aside the blue-jean jacket he was wearing, revealing a semi-automatic.

"We'll be sleeping here tonight and we'll talk about this in the morning," he said.


	4. Chapter 4

Gil could not believe what he was hearing. Did these men think they could just come in and in invade their peace? He took another look at then gun that was sticking out of the waistband of Ted's jeans. He knew that he more than likely had more experience with guns then these two men combined, but he did not want to say so. The less he said about what he knew the better.

He looked back and saw Sara's tight-lipped expression. "Honey, isn't it time for bed?" he asked, motioning to Nora with his eyes.

Sara hesitated and stared at her husband for a few beats. Finally, she stood with Nora and took a few steps backwards. It was obvious that she was aware of his discomfort.

"I guess time got away from me," she said as she backed toward the tent.

She continued to walk backwards and Gil hoped that she wouldn't try anything brazen. Quickly she turned and retreated. Nora's innocent eyes looked back at him as she went.

When she was safely inside, Gil turned his attention back to Ted and Allen. "Look," he started, trying to be as calm as possible. "We don't want any trouble. We don't have any money on us, but we'll give the keys to the car. Just leave my family in peace."

Allen, who was turning out to be the side-kick of the duo, walked over to the fire where Sara had been sitting. He picked up Nora's small, second reader and thumbed through the pages.

" _Treehouse Friends_ ," he scoffed, tossing the book into the fire.

For a moment he watched the pages of the small book curl and burn. In a way it was symbolic of their ruined vacation. Gil felt anger boil inside of him, but he urged himself to remain calm. It wouldn't benefit his family if he erupted.

"We're not interested in any of that shit," Ted stated. "We need a nice little family as a cover in case the rangers get wind of who we are. After we get to our destination, we'll let you go."

Though it was said with a low tone, Gil did not believe him. There was something about his demeanor and the sickening glint in his eye that told Gil that he had sinister intentions.

"Then you are mistaken," Gil lied. "My wife and I are going through a divorce."

Ted shook his head. "Do you think I'm a fucking idiot?" he asked. "You two wouldn't be screwing last night if you were going through a divorce."

Gil's jaw twitched and he thought back on his private moment with Sara. Had this man been so near that he had known about his private act with his wife? Of course, he could have been guessing, but something told him that this wasn't the case.

"You've been following us," Gil stated.

Ted grinned. "Close enough to hear the good news," he said, giving him a wink. "Congratulations on the newest addition."

"You may as well turn in, Gil," Allen piped up. "Tomorrow is going to be a long day."

~0~

As Sara waited for Gil, she stroked Nora's hair and hummed her to sleep. It was obvious to her that these two men were up to something underhanded. She did not want to leave Gil out there with them, but she had Nora to think about.

When Gil finally entered the tent, she let out a pent up sigh. Quickly he hurried over to her and pulled her into his arms. Touching his check to hers , he whispered in her ear.

"They have a gun," he breathed, causing her blood to run cold.

Sara pulled back and stared at him with a wide-eyed, frozen expression. "What do they want?" she asked, looking back at Nora in a panic.

Gil looked unsure. "I think they are on the lamb and they want to use us a cover," he stated.

Sara looked puzzled, but quickly she went over to their bags and pulled out the battery powered radio. She turned it on, keeping the volume low, and turned the dial. When they found a station they waited for a song to run its course, hoping an announcer would break through.

"What are we going to do?" Sara asked in a whisper as they waited.

"Leave," Gil whispered back. "We'll wait until they fall asleep and then leave. Leave everything behind."

Sara nodded in agreement. "Yeah," she said. "Have they been following us?"

Gil nodded. "Yeah," he said.

He did not want to comment that they had mentioned knowing about the baby. That would send her into a panic. It was best he kept that information to himself.

" _The authorities are asking the public to keep a look out for two men,"_ An announcer finally said. " _Who robbed a local convenience store? Both men are considered armed and extremely dangerous…."_

The announcer went on to describe Ted and Allen perfectly. In addition to this, it was mentioned that Ted had been recently paroled. Gil clicked off the radio and Sara returned it to her bag.

"Turn out the light," Gil said. "Maybe they'll think we've gone to sleep."

~8~

Gil hadn't gone to sleep, but stayed awake waiting on the voices of the two men outside to silence. Sara had eventually curled up beside Nora and fell asleep, but that was only after Gil had convinced her to. It was nearing daybreak by the time everything went silent.

"Sara," he said in a hushed whisper as he gently shook her. "We need to move now."

Sara's eyes snapped open and she sat upright in a flash. Without missing a beat she reached for Nora's shoes and tugged them onto the sleeping child. Gil quietly dug through a bag and slipped the car keys and wallet into his pocket.

"Ready?" he asked, turning to lift Nora onto his shoulder.

Nora blinked her eyes open, but then they blinked close again. Sara nodded to him and slowly he unzipped the tent flap, going slowly as to keep the noise to a bare minimum.

"That's not a good idea," Ted whispered suddenly, pulling back the flap.

Sara jumped back and she felt a shock of fear shoot from the base of her neck to the tip of her toes. This was the first time she had gotten a close-up look at him, and to her he seemed like a man that she did not want to cross, yet she was not afraid of him.

"Don't try that again," he said as he zipped their tent back up.

~8~

Gil and Sara never slept. When the sun rose fully, they woke Nora up and dressed her. They were not too sure what they were going to say to her, or what they were going to do. Ted was a man who had thought of all of their avenues.

When Nora saw that the men were there, she fell silent and didn't speak. She stayed close to her parents. Ted and Allen didn't speak to them but told them to pack up. Obediently, Sara packed up their clothes, while Gil started working on the tent. When everything was ready to go, Ted tucked his gun into the back of his jeans and waved his arm at them.

He wanted them to walk in front.

Nora jerked her mother's arm as they started. "Mommy, why are they here?" she asked.

Sara smiled. "We're just helping them," she lied.

For hours they walked without speaking. Gil wanted to reach out and embrace his wife and daughter, but he didn't want to show these men any form of fear. He didn't want them to think that they an upper hand.

However, despite his cool demeanor, he was terrified. If he and Sara were alone, then they would have tried to wrestle the gun away and fought with all of there might. Nora being present added the most fear. She absolutely could not be left alone with these two men, and that went without saying.

"Gil, does your wife like it when you fuck her?" Ted asked.

Sara bit the inside of her lip, pressed Nora into her side, and covered her ears. Beside her, Gil flinched. It was obvious that Ted was trying to get a rise out of him. Did he want to fight Gil? If he did, then it would be no contest. No matter how much she loved her husband, she could not see him winning a fight against him.

"I mean, she sounded like she liked it the other night," Ted continued. "Or maybe she was faking it."

Sara looked to Gil and saw him struggling to keep his composure. She took his hand and pinched his thumb as an indication to him to not do anything that he would regret.

"What's your kid's name?" Ted asked, kicking a brush of dirt at the back of Gil's pants.

"I think its Nora," Allen said.

"That's right," Ted said loudly. "Nora do you know what sex is?"

Sara's mouth dropped and she stopped in her tracks. Gil stopped with her and he stood in front of his family protectively. Ted walked up to them and stared straight into his eyes. Sara laid a hand on Gil's arm and she felt him trembling with anger.

"You gonna hit me?" Ted asked. "Oh, please do."

He pulled out his gun and tapped it against Gil's cheek. Nora whimpered and buried her head into Sara's side. Without thinking, Sara stepped in front of it.

"Okay," she said. "That's enough. You don't want to fire that… a ranger can't be far off."

Ted tapped his finger against his head. "Good thinking, Sara," he said. "I like the way she thinks. But, I bet you wouldn't know what to do with this gun if I gave it to you."

Sara played along. "Probably not," she lied.

Ted chuckled and slipped the gun back into his waistband. "Let's keep walking," he said to them.

* * *

~8~

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PLEASEEEEE!


	5. Chapter 5

When they stopped for lunch, Ted and Allen opened the Grissom's cooler and removed all of their food. They grimaced at the fruits and vegetables and flung them over their shoulders into the woods.

"Are you guys like… health nuts or something?" Allen asked as he sniffed a container of tempeh.

Neither Sara nor Gil responded to his question. Nora took off her bag, opened it, and took out her box of cookies. She was just about to open the top when it was snatched from her hand by Allen.

"Thanks, kid," he said, giving her a smile.

Nora whined. "Mommy –!" she started.

Gil pulled her into his lap and kissed her head. "We'll get you a new one," he said to her.

Nora continued to watch in horror as the men finished her box of cookies and licked their fingers. Ted reached over, hooked a finger through one of the straps, and pulled Nora's bag close to him. He unzipped it and began to pilfer through the items.

"Just kid shit," he said, tossing the bag away.

In the commotion, Mr. Bear fell out of the pack and onto the ground. Nora stopped to grab him, but Ted was faster. He lifted the bear up, gave a wiggle, and smiled down at Nora. Gil and Sara waited in suspense, as if the bear's life held some type of value.

Ted tossed it to Nora. "I am not a complete asshole," he said to Sara with a smile.

As a child, Nora didn't understand why her parents weren't doing something about these people. Her father never let someone take anything away from her. Gil was wondering if his daughter's faith in him was wavering. It made him sad that she may have doubted if he could protect her.

~8~

As they walked on Nora grew tired, so Gil had once again lifted her up onto his shoulders. She rode quietly, still scanning the forest for animals. Sara had taken Gil's hand as a way to try and calm them both. It was working to an extent and for a moment they forgot about the captors walking behind them.

"Daddy, deer!" Nora shouted, pointing to a few deer that were walking among the brush.

Gil looked. "I see them," he said, trying to appease his daughter.

Nora tugged on his hair. "Get the phone, daddy," she said. "Take a picture!"

"Not now," Gil said.

Nora gaped. "Daddy," she said. "You said…"

Sara looked up at her sternly. "Not now," she repeated. "We'll see more."

Nora sulked, but Sara gave Gil's hand a squeeze. He had promised his daughter photos of deer and it pained him to tell her no. However, there were bigger things at stake. Allen jogged around to them.

"Sara, get the phone," he said into her ear.

Sara grimaced, but dug into her pocket and pulled out her phone. She shoved it into Ted's hands and continued to walk.

~8~

When they finally stopped it was nearly dark. Allen had Gil help him with the tent. Nearby, Sara and Nora sat together with Ted close beside them. In her mind, Sara calculated how many more miles they had. If Ted and Allen had been honest, then they would be at the canoe by this time tomorrow. However, her gut told her that they had more than likely lied about their intentions.

"We'll all be bunking together like a cozy family," Ted said. "To prevent another escape attempt."

They had Sara cook dinner for them, which mainly consisted of simple vegetables. As she chopped a carrot into thick chunks, she eyed the small knife in her hand and quickly pushed it up her sleep with her fingers. As the men ate, Sara slipped the knife into her sock.

"Mommy," Nora said. "I'm hungry."

~8~

That night the Grissom family lay huddled together. Nora had been the only one able to fall asleep, but Sara and Gil lay awake listening to their captors snoring.

"I have an idea," Gil whispered to her.

Sara looked back at him. Somehow his blue eyes shone in the dark and, though they were in danger, they made her feel safe.

Sara propped her head up. "What?" she said.

"The window," Gil said. "Cut the window open."

Sara's eyes flickered toward the mesh windows. "I don't know," she said. "I'm worried that it'll move the tent."

He gently stood. "We need to try," he said, looking around their packs quietly.

Sara took the small knife from her sock. "Gil," she breathed.

He looked at the knife and smiled. "You're brilliant," he said to her as he took it.

Carefully and soundlessly, Gil unzipped the window and proceeded to slit the mesh. He worked quickly, while Sara listened to her captor's snoring. Finally, he was finished and the mesh fell away.

Gil turned to lift Nora up. "Go." he mouthed to Sara.

She stepped out of the tent quickly, but carefully. In a way, it was like a perverse game of _Operation_ , but instead of a plastic nose lighting up, it would be Ted waking up if the tent moved. When she was out, she took Nora while Gil climbed out.

"Follow me," he breathed to her as he hurried through the trees toward the main trail.

The moon was bright and stars lit up the sky. In any other situation, Sara would have been overwhelmed with the beauty of it, but this was not the time. But now the moon was casting a much needed light for them as the hurried as silently as they could.

They jogged until the camp was behind them, then they slowed. Nora's small snores were the only sound they could hear and this alarmed Sara. Where were the insects? A twig snapping caused them both to halt and turn.

Gil placed a hand on Sara's back. "Baby, we need to hurry," he said to her.

That was as far as they got. In the next instant, Gil was struck with something that had appeared to be a large tree branch. It barely missed Nora's head and Sara felt her heart stop. Gil released his grip on the child and she fell to the ground, waking up on impact.

"What's happening!?" she sobbed.

In that moment, the only thing she could see was her daughter. Quickly Sara scooped her up and she did something she never thought she could do; she left Gil behind and ran.

"Go after her," Ted yelled.

Sara ran blindly into the woods, clutching a sobbing Nora as she sprinted. She didn't want to think about what was happening to Gil. She could only run and tell herself that he wanted her to.

Ahead of her, the ground disappeared and if it hadn't been for the moons glow then she would have fallen to her death. The ground was gone and what lay in front of her was a steep ravine that ended in a dry creek bed.

"Come on, Sara," Allen said. "You have nowhere to go."

~8~

Allen dragged her, clutching Nora, back to camp. His fist clutched a handful of her hair, but she didn't give him the satisfaction of crying out with pain. When he reached the campfire, he tossed her to the ground. Beside her lay Gil who was now bound and bleeding from his head.

Sara scooted over to him and inspected his head. "I am so sorry," she whispered, kissing his forehead.

Gil shook his head. "Don't be," he said.

Nora wiggled her way between them and wrapped her arms around her father's neck. Gil kissed her on the head and asked her if she was okay. On the other side of the fire, Ted paced anxiously. He reminded Sara of a tiger who was trying to decide whether to pounce on his prey.

Gil put his lips next to Sara's ear. "Listen to me," he said to her. "If something happens to me… you need to get that gun."

Sara pulled back. "Don't talk like that," she said, more forcefully than she meant to.

Gil looked at her intently. "I'm serious, "he said. "You get that gun, no matter what, and you get Nora out of here."

He touched her cheek with his own and Sara knew that he was right. There was a possibility that something awful was coming, but she didn't know what.

* * *

A/N: To all my guest reviewers, Thanks. MARIE! THANKS! I love you, but cannot rply. PLEASE REVIEW!


	6. Chapter 6

After the sun rose, Ted and Allen folded up the tent and pulled the Grissom's packs out. They opened the bags, dumped the items out onto the dirt, and began to sift through them. Then one-by-one, they tossed unnecessary items into the fire.

When they pulled out pairs of Sara's underwear, the laughed, spun them around on their fingers, and stuffed them back into the bag. They held Gil's clothes out to judge their sizes, but shook their heads and added these too to the fire.

Finally, when everything of theirs had been be sorted through and reclaimed by their captors, they forced Gil to stand. They patted his pockets and pulled out his wallet and car keys.

At last, they unbound the family. "Don't do anything stupid," Allen said. "We still haven't decided your punishment for last night."

Ted approached Gil. "Take off your ring," he told Gil, pointing at his wedding ring.

Sara gulped and opened her mouth to speak, but Gil shook his head. He worked the ring off of his finger; it was a little difficult for him to do and underneath the skin was pale in comparison to the rest of his hand.

Ted took the ring from him and worked it onto his own finger. When it was on he held it up to let the sun catch the gold. He grinned down at Sara who felt nothing but disgust for him. When they started to walk again, Gil took his wife's hand and lifted Nora up. He had a dark, foreboding feeling.

~8~

After a few hours of walking, Ted told everyone to stop. He pulled Allen to the side and the two started to talk in hushed voices. Sara kept an eye on them both, but cuddled close to Nora and Gil.

"Remember what I said," Gil said to Sara. "Get the gun no matter what."

Sara stared at her husband. "Gil, don't do this to me," she said. "Don't say this."

Gil put his finger to her lips. "These two men are dangerous and if they are going to kill one of us," he said. "I'd rather it be me."

Sara pulled him close to her. "Nora needs you to be here," she whispered to him, as tears started to flow. "I need you here. You're my everything."

Gil peppered small kisses onto her face. "I've loved from the first moment I me you, Sara Sidle."

Every moment with him flooded back to her. From the moment she first saw him onstage giving a seminar, to the moment when she handed him their newborn daughter swaddled in a blanket. She needed him with her, but she felt the energy of the macabre situation and knew that something bad was about to happen.

Gil pulled Nora close to him and kissed her head. "Daddy loves you," he said to her. "You listen to mommy."

Nora looked at him with large, brown eyes. She looked just like her mother. She had Sara's freckles dusted over her cheeks and her oval face. He looked at his girls side-by-side and he felt himself start to cry.

"Don't cry daddy," Nora said. "It's gonna be okay"

He pulled both of them to him and held them tightly. He felt Sara's body shudder and he knew that she was crying.

"Gil, Allen wants to talk to you about something," Ted said.

Sara clutched onto his sleeve and held him to her. He gave her one last kiss and pushed Nora into her. He gave Ted a nod and started to walk away. Sara fought with all her might to stay where she was, but the urge to run to him was overwhelming. They had been through so much together and now two strange men decided to rip them apart violently.

"Daddy, wait!" Nora said, reaching out.

Sara pressed Nora against her, but Nora squirmed to get to her father. Both she and her mother shared the same feeling.

"Go on," Ted said. "I'll be up here with your family."

What else could Gil do? He couldn't fight both of these men and win. All that would happen would be them beating him to death in front of Nora and that would scar her for life.

No, it was best if he put up as little struggle as possible and pray that Sara and Nora got out safe.

~8~

Gil walked into the woods with Allen behind him. Everything around him was unusually quiet and he ached to hold his family in his arms, but he knew that going back to them would put them in danger. How could these people play God and direct what path their lives took?

At that moment, he remembered Sara and the baby she was carrying. If she made it out of this, then she would have Nora and a new baby to care for. He wouldn't be able to see him or her do a first anything. With Nora, he got to witness her first step and her first day of school.

But that was all he was going to see. He wouldn't see her first date or meet the first boy she brought home. Sara would have to witness all of this alone. She would have to be the mother and the father.

Just then, he decided that he _wanted_ to fight. He needed to fight to see his daughter grow up and see the new baby come into the world. He needed his family and they needed him. It was selfish of him to quit now; any fight was better than no fight at all.

He heard Allen cock the gun. "You can stop here," he said.

Gil's mind raced. He looked around for something, anything, to use in his defense. The only thing he saw was a medium-sized boulder. Quick as a flash he ducked behind a tree and scooped up the boulder. Allen fired the gun, but the bullet hit the tree and sent bits of bark flying.

Gil appeared on the other side and with all his might flung the boulder toward Allen's head. Allen ducked, but not before the rock connected with his nose and sent a spray blood shooting out. Then only other thing Gil could think of was to try and get the gun away from his attacker.

He dove for Allen and grasped the wrist of the arm that was holding the gun. He bent it backwards, attempting to free the weapon, but Allen kneed him in the gut and Gil felt the urge to vomit. He kicked Gil back and fired the gun again. This time a bullet connected with his shoulder and sent a lightning bolt of pain down his arm.

Gil got to his feet and ran. He heard Nora let out a scream from the path, but didn't stop to turn back. He had to try and survive this ordeal so that he could protect his family. The next bullet caught him in the leg and he felt himself falling over the edge of a steep ravine. It seemed that he was falling in slow motion, the ground not within reach. When he landed he saw an explosion of fireworks and then everything went black.

Allen ran over to the ravine and looked down. He saw Gil lying with his leg oddly twisted underneath him. He took aim with his gun, but as he pulled the trigger he sighed. The man was dead and wasting another bullet was useless.

Slowly he stood to make his way back up to the trail.

~8~

After Gil disappeared, Sara kept her arms wrapped around Nora. She looked to Ted with pleading eyes.

"Please," she begged. "He's a good man. Don't do this to us."

Ted seemed not to care. "I told you that there had to be penance for last night, "he said. "We never needed him. I just need you and the kid to make this thing work out."

Sara felt defeated. "I'll do anything you want," she said as she sobbed.

Ted nodded. "I know you will," he stated.

Sara pulled Nora closer to her just as they heard a gunshot go off. Nora buried her head into Sara's side and screamed. Sara felt her jaw drop and a silent scream escaped her mouth. She fell to her knees and felt her stomach drop out. Everything around her didn't seem real, yet she kept a firm hold on her daughter. Nora was shaking in her arms, crying and struggling to get free.

"You shot my daddy!" she yelled at Ted.

Ted ignored her, but Sara couldn't. Both females were sobbing and neither one of them could really believe what happened. A second gunshot elicited another scream from Nora, but this one sounded unnatural and animalistic.

"Mommy, we have to go get him!" Nora cried.

Sara felt useless. She was just kneeling there, with tears running down her face, as her husband was being murdered.

When Allen appeared, Sara saw blood spouting from his nose. "Bastard put up a fight," Allen said.

~8~

When Gil woke up, he was unsure of where he was. The sun was setting and the memory of what happened to him flashed back into his mind. Slowly he sat up, but cried out when he felt a bolt of pain shoot through his leg.

He looked down and saw a piece of white bone sticking out of his ankle. There was no doubt it was broken, but he forced himself to sit up regardless. He pulled his body to edge of the ravine and looked around for something to use to brace his leg with.

He broke a small branch into two, positioned them on both sides of his ankle, and then tore a long strip from his shirt. He wrapped the piece of cloth loosely around the makeshift brace and pulled hard.

"Ahhhh… fuck!" he said loudly.

Finally he had the brace wrapped as tight as it would go and then tightened it as firmly as he could. When he was done, he laid back and panted; his arm and both legs were on fire. He did a mental scan of his body and concluded that, aside from his bullet wounds and fractured ankle, he also had broken ribs and a possible concussion.

Slowly he pulled himself up, grimacing at the pain that was sending pulsing heat through his body. He needed to get back up to the trail and start looking for his girls. But how was he going to do it? In his mind he imagined the map. If he was right, then all he had to do was walk across the ravine and then he would be able to head them off.

He found a large stick that was sturdy enough for him to lean on and he began to limp in the direction that he prayed he recalled correctly. Of all things that Ted and Allen have done to them on this trip, their biggest mistake was not killing Gil Grissom.

* * *

A/M: Hello, I really want to thank you all for reading this and for you =r support. I really love reviews and they are very encouraging to me. I can not reply to my guest readers, but thanks so much for your love. I hope you are enjoying this story and if you have not read any of my other stories.. please help yourself!


	7. Chapter 7

After Allen had returned, the men did not wait on Sara and Nora to grieve. Instead they forced Sara to stand and they continued their trek. Her captors didn't care that her entire life had just been ripped out from underneath her. She walked in a daze, carrying a sobbing Nora, for what seemed like hours.

"Can't you make her shut up?" Allen asked, referring to Nora.

Sara gave him a fierce look. "You may have just murdered her father," she spat. "So no."

The group continued to walk in silence until rain began to patter softly all around them. It's light tapping sound would have been soothing and welcoming if things were different. Now the rain was only symbolic.

"I'm not walking in this shit," Ted stated.

They walked until they found a clearing and then he turned to grab Sara tightly by the arm. His fingers dug into her skin, but she did not give him the satisfaction of wincing.

"Put up the tent," he said, dropping the bag at her feet.

Sara attempted to lower Nora to the ground, but she held on tightly to her mother's neck. "Nora, let me put you down," she whispered to her.

Nora shook her head and tightened her grip. For a brief instance, Sara flashed back to the night she was escorted from her childhood home. She vividly remembered the horrible sights, smells, and feelings. She was a little older than Nora was now, but she still remembered how firmly she had held the social worker's hand. It destroyed her to think that her daughter was experiencing any of the same feelings she had had that night.

"Mommy isn't going anywhere," she said to her. "You can stand right by me."

Nora released her grip a fraction and Sara was able to pry her arms loose. When she set the child on her feet, Nora clung to her leg. Walking was difficult, but somehow she was able to erect the tent by herself. When she was finished, she set up a nest in one corner for her and Nora.

Ted and Allen had stayed outside, discussing something Sara couldn't hear. She feared now that they would try and hurt Nora. Worse than that, they would kill her so that they could take Nora off.

"Mommy, we need to go back," Nora sobbed to her.

Sara soothed her hair back. "Shhhh…,' she said, kissing her forehead.

There was nothing that she wanted to do more than to go back to find Gil. The evidence around her told her that he was dead. But there was something in her heart that didn't believe it. Despite this urge she had, she couldn't risk another escape attempt.

"Listen to me," Sara whispered, putting a finger under her daughter's chin and tilting her face up. "I want to go back for daddy, but these men have a gun and they will hurt us if we try to run."

"You know how to use a gun," Nora whispered back. "Get it from them."

Sara put her finger to her lips. "If they know that I know how to use a gun," she whispered. "Then they'll watch it. If I pretend I don't, then maybe they will not be as careful."

Nora was young, but she was smart. She and Gil had raised her to try and solve her own small problems. They wanted her grow up to be able to think for herself.

"I need you to listen to me," Sara said. "If I tell you to do something, then you need to do it."

Nora nodded and cuddled into her mother. "Yes, mommy," she said.

Sara kissed her head. "That's a good girl," she said.

~8~

After Nora had drifted off to a fitful sleep, Sara sat with her knees tucked under her chin. She needed to do what Gil had told her and get the gun from Ted. He kept the gun with him at all times, apart from the time he had given it to Allen so he could shoot at Gil.

She knew exactly what she needed to do, but the thought of even touching Ted gave her heartburn. In a way, it felt like a betrayal to her husband. Since they started dating, Gil had been the only man for her.

With all her being she wanted to believe that her husband was alive and that after all this was over they would find him. But he was more than likely seriously wounded and she prayed that wild predators wouldn't find him first.

She tucked the blanket around Nora, got slowly to her feet, and unzipped the tent. The rain had stopped and the sunset was beautiful. If Gil had been with her, then it would have been a wonderful and breathtaking experience. Now it meant nothing.

Ted and Allen were seated by the crackling fire, laughing loudly and taking long gulps out of their last two bottles of water. Sara trudged slowly towards the two men, feeling disgust at herself for what she was about to do.

"What do you want?" Allen said to her.

Sara folded her arms. "I need to speak to you," she told Ted boldly.

Ted looked her over and then turned to Allen. "Take a walk," he told him.

Allen scoffed and opened his mouth. One glance from Ted shut him up and Allen trudged off into the woods. Now that Sara was alone with Ted, she was afraid. She wished Allen would come back, but she needed to go through with her plan.

"I'll do anything for my daughter," she said.

Ted raised his eyebrows at her. "Like what?" he asked.

He was asking her to elaborate, but doing that was physically making her sick. If she ever spoke in an erotic way, it was to her husband. Saying anything sexual to this man was a disloyalty to her marriage.

"Anything," she said, forcing herself to walk over to him.

Her plan was to somehow get the gun from the waistband of Ted's pants. She worried that her plan would fall through, but what choice did she have? If things went wrong, then the only thing she wanted was for him to kill Nora first so that she not would have to leave her defenseless.

"Prove it," he said, challenging her.

If he was hoping to call her bluff, then he had obviously never met anyone like Sara Sidle Grissom. In the past, her own husband had even tried to call her bluff. She was a strong willed woman that achieved whatever she set her mind to and would go over any obstacle to do it. Sara lowered herself to the ground in front of him, raised her torso up until she was eye-level with him, and leaned in to kiss his neck.

The smell that omitted from him reminded her of stale urine, and she had smelled plenty of that in her lifetime. His stench reminded her of a man who had neglected to shower for several weeks. The assault of senses was almost overwhelming and she wanted to vomit, but she willed herself to remain calm.

It was night and day when compared to kissing Gil. His skin had always been soft under her moth and sweet to taste,. Ted, on the other hand, tasted like old salt that had been spilled onto a bathroom floor. She felt one of Ted's hands grasp her breast firmly, and she immediately let out an involuntary gasp of pain.

"Do you like that?" he asked, not caring if the gasp was from pain or pleasure.

Sara didn't answer. Instead she snaked an arm around the small of his back. Ted pulled her into a rough kiss and Sara forced herself not to gag. If she had thought the skin of his neck was bad, his mouth was worse.

"Want the gun?" Ted asked.

Sara froze for a moment. "What do you mean?" she inquired innocently.

Ted pushed her back. "Don't fuck with me," he said to her. "You're a desperate woman."

Then he did something Sara did not expect. He pulled the gun out of his waistband and thrust it at her. She couldn't believe what she was seeing, but then she reconsidered his actions. Why had he given it to her? There was an angle.

"Go for it," he said to her. "Fire away."

This last statement sent of a warning siren in her head and she lowered the weapon. He laughed and took it from her. He pulled the clip out of his pocket and slapped it home. If she had been successful and gotten the gun, then it wouldn't have fired.

He aimed it at her and gave her wry smile. "Go back to bed," he said. "Your children need you."

Sara took a sharp intake of break and rose to quickly retreat. Ted knew about the baby? How could he possibly know such a thing? Gil wouldn't have told him. That only left one other option – he had overheard it while he was following them. That meant that her captors had been dangerously close, '

She quickly and wordlessly retreated, but at the entrance to the tent she stopped to spit the sour taste out of her mouth. She had failed at her only chance to save them from this situation and she was angry at herself. She gazed down at the ground and then an idea struck her.

Glancing back at Ted she saw that he was not watching her. With the toe of her shoe she uncovered the head of one of the tent stakes. She sidestepped briefly, glanced back at Ted, and then quickly stopped to pull the stake from its place. It pulled free easily and she slid it up her sleeve.

When she ducked back into the tent she glanced around for Nora's pack. It had been amazing that their abductors had let her keep it at all. Perhaps they thought that if she had her things, then she wouldn't be underfoot.

Quickly she located it, sifted through it, and pulled out the coloring book. The stake itself was skinny and when Sara had tucked it between the pages of the book, it was not obvious.

"Please God," she muttered.

~8~

The next morning the air was chilly. Sara hadn't slept a wink and she felt that her body was completely devoid of energy. The only thing that kept her moving was the need to protect Nora. All through the night, she had cried silently for Gil. She thought of him out in the woods, struggling without light and with hungry predators around him.

Now she was walking in a dream-like state, holding Nora tightly by the hand. She didn't have the energy to carry her anymore, but Nora did not complain. Soon there was an awkward energy in the air and she began to notice that her surroundings looked familiar. They had finished their journey and the canoe wasn't far ahead.

"Mommy," Nora whispered to her. "I need to go to the bathroom."

Sara stopped and looked to her captors. "We need to stop," she said. "My daughter needs a bathroom break."

Ted stopped and looked back at Sara. "Then let her go," he said.

Sara shot him a horrid look. "I am not letting my child wander through the forest alone," she said.

Ted shrugged. "She's fine," he said, and then he pointed to Nora. "If you run off I'll kill your mommy."

Allen gave Nora a shove. "Go," he said.

Nora looked back at him. "Didn't your mommy teach you not to push?" she said, showing her attitude.

Allen looked amused. "Didn't your mommy teach you to shut up around adults?" he countered.

Nora gave Allen a fierce look. "You're an asshole," she said.

In another situation, Sara would have laughed. She gave Nora a serious look and Nora hopped off the trail into the woods.

* * *

~8~

A/M: Hey guys, I am going to finish this one with three more chapters. All things must come to an end, so please leave me a review. Thanks for being faithful. I love you. Thanks guests! P.S. I have gotten used to Kimchi, Marie. : )


	8. Chapter 8

Before Gil could begin his trek, he needed to somehow climb out of the ravine. The gorge that he was in was steep on both sides and seemed to not offer any sturdy footholds. It posed a serious challenge for him and if he had been his regular self he would have scaled it in no time. He hobbled over to one of the sides and dug his fingers into the earth. It was surprisingly easy to do.

He abandoned his crutch and braced his feet against the earth. The pain that exploded from his leg was agonizing, but he forced himself to pull his body up. The only motivation he had was of his wife and daughter. If it wasn't for them, then he would give up and let himself slowly die. After he was sure they were safe, and only then, would he allow himself to perish.

Each breath he took was excruciating. If felt as if one of his fractured ribs was poking one of his lungs, which was probably likely.

"Focus," he told himself, struggling to will his legs to move.

The bullet wounds in his body, though painful, were the least of his concerns. He had plugged them with mud and, though it wasn't the most sanitary choice, had stopped the bleeding. But then again, what other choice did he have?

"Come on daddy," he heard Nora saw.

He looked to his left and gaped at his daughter. He knew that there was no way she could have escaped her captors and jumped into the ravine without him knowing it. The blood loss was making him delirious.

"Like this," Nora said, digging her hands into the earth and propping her foot onto a rock that was jutting from the earth.

She lifted her body effortlessly and began to climb up the steep wall like a monkey. The big difference between him and her was their weight. It was easy for her to pull her small body up and out, but he had to pull a grown man's weight on a shattered ankle.

"I…I can't," Gil sobbed. "I'm sorry."

Nora looked at him with her almond-shaped, brown eyes. "What about my play?" she asked.

Gil look confused. "Play?" he repeated.

Nora sighed. "Peter Pan!" she said. "I'm Wendy, remember. You said you'd be in the front row."

Gil felt a pang of guilt because he did remember saying that to her. He had been so busy with work that he had forgotten something that was so important to his daughter.

"I forgot," he told her.

Nora looked sad. "Mommy sad you might," she said. "Work makes you too busy."

Nora climbed ahead of him and Gil willed himself to follow her. She quickly and effortlessly placed her hands here ad there, showing Gil what to do. He mimicked her movements, wondering how she knew where each place was.

"I'll be there, sweetheart!" he called up to her.

Nora disappeared over the edge and Gil hurried up and over. He rolled over the edge and panted painfully. His body was on fire from pain and he soon started to shake with chills. He knew his body was going into shock and he needed something to drink.

He looked to where Nora was, but she was gone. He knew she had never been there; his body was struggling. He laid back down and struggled to inhale deeply. He couldn't keep breathing like this.

~0~

He needed to rest. His body was so exhausted and pushing it anymore was out of the question. He leaned back against a tree and closed his eyes. Every part of his body throbbed and he felt feverish all over. How much blood had he lost? Did he even know where he was going?

Just then rain began to patter all around him. Ted didn't strike him as the type of man to keep walking in adverse weather. He more than likely stopped the group to camp for the night. This worried him the most because if they were walking, then at least they were busy. If they were stopped, the the men would have time on their hands.

"You've come to far now," Sara's smoky said to him. "Too far to stop."

Gil looked up at her. "I'm not going to give up now," he said to her.

Sara smiled broadly at him, revealing the small gap between her teeth that he found so endearing. He loved both of his girls, but Sara was the one who he sought to be with; without her there would have been no Nora. When a man or woman makes the conscious decision to be with someone, then that was the most important love of all.

She knelt down in front of him and put a hand to his face. Her expression went from one of joy to one of worry. She raised each of his eyelids with her fingers and sighed.

"You need to drink," she said to him. "You have a fever and you won't survive the night without something to eat or drink."

Gil shook his head. "I'm not going to make it," he said.

Sara pointed past his shoulder. "Baby, there is a creek over that hill," she said, taking his hands to help him up.

Gil was confused and for a moment he thought he saw two of her. "How do you know?" he asked.

"Always one step ahead of you, Gilbert," she joked. "You saw it on the map, remember?"

~8~

Sara was right. He dragged himself over the small hill, and there he saw a small creek. He hoped it was part of the waterfall they had seen the other day. If it was, then Gil wasn't far off course. He laid on his belly to gulp the water.

"Don't be greedy," Sara whispered into his ear. "You'll get sick."

Gil took one last gulp and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Are you okay?" he asked her.

Sara looked at him seriously. "We're waiting on you," she said to him.

Gil struggled to sit upright, but when he looked back up his wife was gone. He felt like he were in a dream. The sights around him began to blur and he knew that he needed to get moving before his time ran out.

"Daddy!" Nora called. "Look over here!"

Gil looked up and saw his daughter standing beside a bush. She crouched down and pushed the leaves aside.

"Fiddleheads!" she said. "I read about them in my _Little House_ book. You can eat them!"

Gil crawled slowly on his hands and knees to where his daughter was. He saw the curled, green plants and picked a handful. He popped them into his mouth and chewed. To him, they tasted nutty. He dug for more and shoveled them into his mouth. They would do for now.

~8~

After he had eaten, he looked around for another crutch. He dug through the brush into he found one of adequate strength and size. Then he hoisted himself up, the pain sending lightning bolts of heat up his body, and stood.

Sara put a loving hand on his back. "Let's go now," she said. "Dark is coming soon."

The rain had slowed and he had grown chilly. He wasn't sure if he was growing cold because of blood loss or the air around him. Either way, he wouldn't last if he stood still. As they walked, Gil hobbled along beside her.

"You know," he said to her as he walked. "I never did tell you that I wanted another baby. I just assumed you didn't, so I never mentioned it."

Sara linked arms with him. "I wasn't sure I wanted Nora until she was born," she admitted. "I still have a lot of issues about my past."

Gil understood. "I can't pretend to understand what you went through," he said to her.

Sara squeezed his hand. "You make it all okay," she said. "I don't feel so lonely."

Gil looked to her. "But lately that hasn't been the case," he stated.

Sara chewed the inside of her cheek and nodded." Lately I've been sad," she admitted. "When I get depressed I have a fight or flight reflex. Usually, flight wins."

Gil felt guilty once again. If he didn't make it through this, then he would die feeling guilty about not spending enough time with his girls. He knew he didn't deserve another chance, but if he was given one then he would relish it.

~8~

Gil hobbled until the rain had completely stopped, then he sat down to rest. His breathing was quick and he felt a sharp pain on his left side whenever he took a breath. The pain in his leg had numbed, and he knew this was a bad sign. His image of Sara had gone and in its place was loneliness

A Sharp cracking sound to his left caused him to quickly look up. The sun was setting and it was beginning to grow dark. Soon animals would be coming out of the woodwork.

"We have to go now," Sara said, appearing beside him and helping him to stand. "You look like a wounded animal. You need to keep moving and make as much noise as possible."

Gil slammed his makeshift crutch up against a tree and yelled as loudly as he could. The pain in his ribs made if difficult, yet he needed to. He didn't want to survive a fall into a ravine and two bullet wounds only to be devoured by a wild animal.

"Try to walk as loudly as you can," Sara said to him. "Something has been following you."

Sara was telling him things he knew, but he listened to her regardless. Were these images of Sara and Nora his own thoughts projecting themselves? If so, then he owed them more than he thought.

~8~

Gil hobbled through the night. Sometimes he was with Sara and sometimes he was with Nor, but mostly he was alone. The thing in the woods was not far behind him. He smelled like blood and like a delicious meal to anything that hadn't eaten in days. Occasionally he would stop and make as much noise as he could, but soon he would be too weak to and what it was would catch up to him. He wished that he had the bear spray that the ranger had given him, but it was long gone by now.

Luckily the moon had risen high and it cast a soft glow. In his head he imagined the map and he kept his gaze at the stars in order to keep his eye on true north. He prayed he wasn't making the wrong decision and wandering further into the wilderness. He had fought too hard to be found, half eaten, by hikers.

When dawn came, Nora and Sara disappeared for the last time and he wondered if he was close to death. He heard that when death was at your door, you felt a sudden sense of sureness. He felt that now, but was confused as to what was causing it. Feeling defeat, he leaned against a tree and slid down to the ground. He would what on The Thing to come for him.

The sound of water slapping lightly against something made him look up. He pulled himself to his knees, crawled in the direction of the noise, and that was when he saw the canoe. The Grissom canoe had slid partway down the bank in the rain and part of it was laying in the water. He had made it to his destination and he realized that he must have crossed the path earlier.

"Thank God,: he sighed, climbing to his feet.

With strength he did not know he had, he turned the boat over and set it upright in the water. He picked the paddles out of the mud and set them in the boat as well. Beside the Grissom boat, he saw another and he knew it belonged to Ted and Allen.

He felt a surge of strength returned to him and he felt as if the end was near, but for who? He had a chance to take the canoe now and go for help, but who was to say he would make it across the lake. No, he needed to wait on his family. But how did he know he didn't miss them? How did he know that Ted and Allen hadn't raped and killed them?

Just then he heard faint voices and he wondered if he was imagining things again. But then he heard Allen's voice come into the mix and he knew that he wasn't dreaming. He felt relieved that he hadn't missed them, but at the same time he wondered what he was going to do.

"We need to stop," he heard Sara say.

He crept closer, keeping his body low to the ground. He ignored the pain that radiated throughout him and his heart was pounding in his chest. He was surprised he had enough blood to pump through his body. He was able to get a glimpse of his family through the trees, but he kept his proximity. If he was seen, he didn't have the strength to take on those two giants.

"You're an asshole," he heard Nora state.

At this Gil choked back a laugh, but he winced at the pain in his ribs. He heard a rustling and he looked up to see Nora hopping through the brush and heading in his direction.

* * *

~8~

A/M: Thank you so much for continuing to be faithful. I love all of your reviews, and I look forward to them everyday! Please continue to make me happy… and all that. PLEASE REVIEW! – KT


	9. Chapter 9

Gil held his breath as Nora walked closer to him. His first instinct was to scoop her up and run, but if he alerted Ted and Allen then he wouldn't stand a chance. Additionally, if his daughter saw him then she would cry out and run to him.

He watched as she found a spot to use the bathroom, set her bag down, and put herself in position. Gil looked over his shoulder to the lake and he knew exactly what he should do. He walked quietly, despite his pain, over to Nora and quickly put a hand over her mouth. She flailed her arms and whined against his hand as turned her around to face him.

When she was face-to-face with her father, she stilled and she widened her eyes. Gil put a finger to his lips and Nora nodded her head. When he pulled his hand away she threw herself into him, almost knocking him back. He stifled a scream of agony, but returned her hug as best he could.

"Oh, daddy!" she whispered. "You're alive!"

Gil hooked a finger through the top loop of her bag and carried it with him to the lake. Nora followed him, being as quiet as she could. When he was at the shore, beside the canoe, he dumped the bag out. He needed to find something to use as a weapon, but he doubted he could defend his family with crayons. A soft 'thunk' caught his attention and he looked down to see Nora's coloring book, laying open in the form of an upside down tepee. He picked it up and there he found one of their tent stakes.

"Sara," he whispered to himself. "You're brilliant."

He turned to Nora and noticed that she was staring at him. He didn't look how she remembered; he looked beaten and bloody now. There was fear in her eyes and Gil felt sorrow for her.

"Nora…do you…remember," he said, pulling her close to him. "How to… paddle the boat?"

Nora nodded. "Are you okay daddy?" she asked sadly.

Gil nodded. "I'm fine," he said, giving her a smile.

Nora looked unsure, but she smiled back at him. He felt bad lying to her, because he knew his time was running out. He pulled her to him and kissed her head.

"Nora!" they both heard Sara scream. "Run! Run!"

Gil looked around in a panic and heard the sound of heavy boots crashing through the woods where he had been with Nora only moments before. He looked at his daughter in a panic and then down at the tent stake. He hadn't the strength to fight.

"Listen to me," he told Nora.

~8~

Sara stood, arms crossed under her breasts, looking towards the place where Nora had disappeared. She didn't like being separate from her and she needed to go after her. Something in the pit of her stomach sent warning signals throughout her body and she felt the tiny hairs on her arms stand up.

Ted and Allen were standing to the side, whispering and glancing at Sara. Something in the way they looked at her made her more than uncomfortable, it terrified her. She saw Ted hand Allen the gun and had a brief flashback to the moment Gil disappeared.

"Nora!" she screamed, running towards the woods. "Run! Run!"

Ted caught her by the waist and dragged her backwards. He slapped one of his large, sweaty hands over her mouth and Sara bit down hard. His other hand flashed out and slapped her across the face, causing an explosion of fireworks. From the corner of her eye she saw Allen disappear.

~8~

"Nora!" Allen called sweetly. "Nora, your mom needs you. Come on out!"

Because of Sara's screaming, he knew that the child had ran, but she couldn't go far. She was small and he was large, he would catch up to her soon. He heard crying coming from the lake and he jogged toward the noise. Killing a child wouldn't be too hard for him, he had done it before.

The crying grew louder and soon he spotted Nora, sitting by the lake and clutching her doll. He walked toward her and crouched down until he was level with her. Nora looked at him with her big, brown eyes.

"You're a pretty little girl," he said to her. "You look like your mom."

Nora sniffled. "Daddy says that too," she whispered.

Allen stroked her hair back. "Nora, you're going to see your daddy very soon," he said.

He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to him. Nora screamed and beat him with her fists, but she was too small to do anything. A sharp pain in the back of his neck stopped him and before he could turn, something thrust deeper inside of him. Lightning bolts of tingling pain traveled up and down his arms. Whoever was attacking him was twisting something metallic into the back of his neck. He reached his arms back, trying to grab whoever it was that had accosted him.

His arms went limp and Nora slipped out of his grasp. The piercing pain ran down the back of his legs and soon he couldn't feel anything. The twisting in the back of his neck didn't stop for what seemed like a long time, but finally he was lowered to the ground and he felt the weapon withdraw from his body.

He landed face up, but his eyes began to swim. Not being able to move your limbs was horrifying and he felt like he was in a bad episode of sleep paralysis;. His attacker soon came into to view and he noticed it was Gil

Allen opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. "You're paralyzed," Gil said to him. "Soon… you're going to stop brea… breathing…. And you'll suffocate."

Allen's eyes grew wide and he stared at Gil. "You made… two big mistakes," he explained. "One… you messed with my family. Two… you didn't kill me."

Gil stood up shakily and turned his daughter away. He didn't want her to watch him die.

~0~

Ted had pulled Sara off the trail. She dug her heels into the mud, but he was much stronger than her. She slapped at him wildly, trying to get him to loosen his grip on her. He slammed her body against a tree and Sara kicked out with her feet, hoping to connect with something.

"She's just a little girl!" Sara screamed at him. "She's my little girl!"

Sara spat in his face, but felt her strength leaving her. If she let this man win, then that was it for her. Ted turned her around, and she felt his hand feel around for the button of her jeans. She flung her head backwards, connecting with part of his face. Ted clutched a handful of her hair and forced her head into the side of the tree. The bark dug into her skin and searing pain burned through her as she started to bleed.

"Fuck you!" Sara bit out.

Was this how she was going to die? Was her once picturesque life gone? She let her mind drift to the moments before all of this happened. She imagined holding Gil's hand and seeing Nora ride atop her husband's shoulder. Her soul pained for those moments.

"I'm on my way Gil and Nora," she said, accepting her death.

~8~

Gil pushed the canoe into the lake with Nora's help. Quickly he set her inside and handed her the smallest paddle.

"Go… straight," Gil said through his pain. "Tell the rangers… your mom and dad are hurt."

Nora nodded. "What about mommy?" she asked.

Gil kissed her cheek. "I'm going to go get her," he said, pushing the canoe off.

He watched for a moment as the boat drifted away. Then he turned to Allen, who had finally died, and rolled him over to retrieve the gun from the waistband of his pants.

~8~

Ted was struggling with his belt and at this point, Sara was just waiting for everything to end. She had always wondered about heaven, and now she prayed that her little girl and husband were waiting on her. If they were, all this would be worth it. They would be together, unchanging for all eternity.

"Why us?" Sara asked, sobbingly. "Why my family?"

Ted stopped his assault on her for a moment. "Because you were there," he said.

Sara let his words sink in. There was no reason for all of this. There was no motive for what they were doing. Her family had just been at the wrong place at the wrong time. To think that these men only wanted to hurt for no reason wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that it was their decision whether she lived or died.

~0~

Gil pulled himself up the hill and onto the trail. Sara wasn't there, but he could hear her screams nearby. Walking now had become nearly impossible and black dots were dancing in front of his eyes. He doubted he could save her, but Nora was safe and that was something they both would have wanted.

He pushed his way through the bushes, the mere weight of them was nearly too much. The sounds of Sara struggling became louder and then he saw them. Ted had his back to him and Gil could see what he was doing to his wife.

He raised the gun, but it was almost too heavy. He pulled the trigger, but he missed Ted and hit the tree beside him. Bits of bark flew everywhere. Ted stopped what he was doing and Sara fell to the ground. Quickly she fixed her clothes and she looked towards Gil.

"Gil!" she shouted, in a mixture of disbelief and desperation.

Ted ran for Gil but Sara, seeing how weak he was, dove for Ted. Her small body barley made him stop, and he pushed her back. Gil didn't know what else to do, if he was stronger then he would have fought until death. But death was already calling for him. One punch and he would have been done for.

Sara ran at Ted with a tree branch and swung. She connected with his jaw and Gil heard a sickening crunch. Gil sank to the ground, but Sara hurried over to him and took the gun. There was one shot and then everything was quiet. Gil looked up and he saw Ted on his knees, holding back his red palms in disbelief.

"You can shoot," he said to Sara with a smile.

Sara cocked the gun again. "A know a lot of things," she said. "Like how big the hole in the back of our head is going to be."

She fired again.

~8~

Sara dropped the gun and rose in a panic. "Nora!" she said.

Gil put a hand on her leg. "She's okay," he said. "Allen's dead."

Sara stood and walked over to Ted. She grasped his hand and pulled Gil's wedding ring off of it. Behind her, Gil struggled to sit up. Blackness was coming in waves.

"Go," he said to Sara.

Sara shook her head. "I'm not leaving without you," she said, walking over to him and pulling him to his feet.

She lifted his arm and fit herself underneath it, preparing herself to take his weight. There wasn't any way she was leaving him behind after what they had just gone through. She needed him.

"I can't anymore…," he said to her.

Sara pulled him. "The hell you can't," she said. "Which way?"

Gil pointed. "There," he said. "There is another boat."

Sara pulled him with all her might, but her struggle with Ted had made her weak. She was now relying on her adrenaline to get her through this. She pushed her legs to go one step father after each step. Finally, she saw the canoe and she lowered Gil to the ground.

Quickly she turned it over, slipped it into the water, and added the paddles. She saw Allen laying nearby and for a moment, she feared that he would open his eyes. She gave his body a shot with her foot and spit on it.

Then she turned back to Gil, who was now laying unusually still. She rushed over to him and struggled to lift him up, but she was out of strength. Her muscles shook and she couldn't will her arms to lift him anymore.

She grabbed his feet and pulled with all her might until he was at the edge of the lake. She stepped into the boat and she braced her feet on the bottom. It took strength she didn't know she had to pull him over the edge. She braced her feet against the edge of the boat and pulled until her limbs were on fire.

When he was in, she pushed the canoe in the water and wadded towards the front. She climbed in and paddled fiercely, switching sides as fast as she could. She looked back at Gil, but she couldn't tell if he was breathing or not. She couldn't stop to check and she paddled quickly, propelling the boat toward the shore.

Inside she didn't believe it was over. She felt as if Ted was going to emerge out of the water like Jason in those _Friday the 13_ _th_ movies. The shore came into view and she could see the tell-tale flashes of police cars.

"Hold on," Sara said back to Gil.

She paddled faster and faster, the shore growing closer with each stroke. Finally, she felt the canoe hit the rocky bottom and she tumbled out of the boat.

"Help!" she screamed. "My husband!"

Sara climbed back to him and took his head in her hands. She slapped his cheeks, but Gil wouldn't open his eyes. She felt someone grasp her shoulders and pull her away from him.

"Let the paramedics look at him," she heard a ranger say to her.

Sara nodded, but she was tunnel sighted on Gil. The other paramedics splashed through the water and two of them waved for a gurney. Sara sat back in a dream-like state.

"Mommy!" Nora called to her, running over.

Sara turned to see her daughter and she held out her arms for her. When she was finally holding her, she inhaled the smell of her hair and kissed her face.

"Is that daddy?" Nora asked, trying to walk to him.

Sara held her back. "The paramedics are trying to help him," she said.

Everyone was busy trying to help Gil. The gurney rolled up and it was lowered so that it could be carried through the water to where he was. It took three men to lift him out, but he was and then they carried him to the shore.

Nora and Sara walked beside it, both of them too much in shock to speak. When it was loaded into the ambulance, they both climbed in after it.

* * *

~8~

A/M I was going to keep going but It got too long. One more to go. It is ok. Check out more Katyrye stories. REVIEW THIS ONE PLEASSSEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!


	10. Chapter 10

A/M: Hello, I wanted to put the Author's Message here so you could read it. I had a reader express that this story was a little difficult for them to read. For that, I apologize, but if you review as a guest I cannot contact you directly. However, you can look up my facebook page and use it to communicate with me. With that being said, I had everything in this story planned out from day one. I knew what would happen with the baby, to the tent stake. I always write with your thoughts in mind, and I know hurting the Grissom family is something I have to be careful with. Though I will put them immediate danger, I do not take hurting them lightly. All of my stories have a moral points, even _Sara Sidle Out_ \- which I was happy to write an epilogue for. For this story, I kept in mind that my readers like a little 'recovery' and I have already allotted space for it. I want all of my stories to teach a lesson, though this is a new method I have adopted. For my readers that prefer more romance but like my style, please look at _L'Amoure Dure_ and _Memor Mih_. I am writing a fantasy story soon titled _In the Kingdom of Dragons_ and I think you'll like it. But in the meantime, thank you to all my readers and reviewers. If you do not review, that is OK. Though I do LOVE reviews, I write for me and to bring happiness to others. If I do not make something clear in my story, I do it for a reason because I want it to leave a mark on you. I think that a story that stays with its readers is the mark of a good writer. In conclusion, I hope you enjoy the ending and I hope you are not afraid to send me a request. I do write some request stories, but only ones I know I can do well. I am not against some categories, but one must only write what they can feel or know.

* * *

~8~

* * *

Sara had been in countless hospitals in her life, but none of those had effected her bad as this one was now. After the ambulance arrived at the hospital, Gil was rushed back into the E.R's operation room. The only thing Sara could do was wait, but her nerves were too shot to do that. The police arrived to speak to her, and they showed a picture of Ted and Allen.

"Yes, that's them," Sara said, looking away from the photo.

The officer slid the photo into a file. "They're real names are Richard and Marc Price," she said.

Sara blinked at the news she had just heard, but in reality she wasn't surprised that they had lied about their names. The officers asked to interview Nora, but Sara refused to let them speak to her. The situation hadn't really sunk in for any of them yet, and for a moment she wondered if she had really been saved of if she were dreaming.

She sat in the waiting room, sitting with Nora in a plastic chair. They both had been examined by doctors and Sara had been given an ultrasound. She was relieved that the baby was alright and she was amazed that it had survived.

"Mommy," Nora asked. "Is daddy going to be okay?"

Sara pulled her into her lap and rested her chin on her head. "I hope so," she said.

Nora looked up at her. "Are they dead?" she asked.

Sara nodded. "They're gone," she said. "They are not going to hurt us anymore."

That statement didn't really ring true for her because Gil was fighting for his life. If her husband died, then Ted and Allen would be hurting her for the rest of her life. They would also be hurting the life of her unborn child, who would never know what a wonderful man its father was.

"Why did they do that?" Nora asked.

Sara looked down at her daughter seriously. "Do you know what 'humanity' means?" Nora shook her head. "It means kindness… or the ability to be kind. Some people don't have it, so they try to hurt others for no reason."

Explaining to her daughter that there had been no reason for everything she went through was problematic. If she knew that people didn't need a reason to be cruel, would she loose her faith in human decency?

"But we're alive," Sara quickly added. "And goodness is always stronger in its own way. I like to think there are more good people than bad. Like the doctors here."

Nora leaned back into her mother. "That's mean," she said.

~8~

Before Gil was finally transferred to the ICU he had received several pints of blood, had his ankle reset, his wounds cleaned, and his ribs bound up. He also had a collapsed lung, and had chest tube inserted. Despite his size, he looked lost among the wires and tubes all over his body. When Sara entered, Nora froze and stared at her father.

Sara coaxed her forward. "He can hear us," she said to the little girl. "Let's talk to him a little."

They approached his bedside and Sara took his hand and gave it a squeeze. Nora sniffled and buried her face into her mother's side. She didn't need to see this, but if Gil died she needed to talk to him one last time.

"Hey honey," Sara said. "Nora is here."

Nora took a deep breath. "Hey daddy," she whispered.

"We're okay," Sara said to Gil. "But we need you to pull through so we can go home."

Nora chocked back a sob and Sara picked her up. The beeping of the heart monitor was loud and it made her realize just how alone she felt.

" _I can't raise two children on my own,"_ she thought. _"God, please let him wake up."_

Sara patted Nora's on the bottom. "Let's let daddy get some rest and we'll be back," she said. "I'm a little hungry."

But she wasn't hungry.

~8~

 _3 days after_

Sara had gotten a hotel room near the hospital and she built her schedule around visiting Gil and distracting Nora. The police had asked her to identify her attacker's bodies, and she did so reluctantly. Nora began having nightmares from the first night and no amount of cuddling could sooth her. It wasn't until Sara turned on all the lights and had inspected the room, that the little girl would finally calm down.

When they went to visit Gil, they would talk to him and hold his hand. Some of his color was back and the chest tube had been removed, but every day she waited on the news that had flat -lined. She needed Gil to open his eyes and look at her.

"Nora's play is next month," Sara said to him during one of their visits.

"I know all my lines," Nora added. "And I am going to get to fly!"

Sara smiled. "That's right," she said with excitement. "We don't want to miss that."

At that moment, Sara felt Gil's hand close weakly around hers. She held back her look of shock, but squeezed his hand back. She didn't want Nora to get over excited, but actually it was Sara who didn't want to put too much faith in it.

~8~

 _5 days after_

It was on the fifth day that Gil woke up. She hadn't been there, but she hurried to the hospital after she had received the call. When she pushed open the door to his room, she saw that he was sitting up and sipping from a straw that was sticking out of a Styrofoam cup that a nurse had extended to him. He looked weak, but, unlike before, his eyes looked alive.

"Daddy!" Nora shouted, running to Gil's bedside.

Gil reached over with one arm and ruffled her hair. "Hey," he said hoarsely. "Have you been good?"

Nora nodded. "We're at a hotel," she explained quickly. "And they have a pool!"

Gil looked surprised. "They do?" he asked. "Did you swim in it?"

Nora nodded. "Mommy got me a bathing suit and the pool is heated," she explained.

Sara took the cup from the nurse and extended it to Gil. "She's really excited for you to see it," she added.

Gil took a sip out of the cup and looked at her with his deep, blue eyes. He laced his fingers with her and gave her a smile. His eyes spoke volumes to her. They told her that he was okay and that they were safe now. She wanted to fall apart and cry in his arms, but they needed to feign strength. They would comfort each other later. She leaned down and pressed her lips against his, not wanting to break away.

"Daddy, did you dream?" Nora asked.

Gil looked back at her. "Of course I did," he said. "I dreamed about your play."

Nora's eyes grew wide. "You heard us!" she said.

~8~

 _8 days after_

After Gil was released from the hospital, they stayed in the hotel for a few days. They weren't ready to go back home at the moment and they needed to spend much needed quality time with each other. The state police interviewed Gil, but since Ted and Allen were killed in self-defense, they weren't required to stay in-state.

The family lay huddled together in the same bed. Nora's nightmares disturbed Gil and he knew they needed to get her therapy when they made it back home. They spent a few days disconnected from their lives. They watched Nora swim and they bought her markers so that she could color on her father's cast.

While Nora slept, Sara cried into Gil's shirt. He told her that he was safe and that everything was over, but somehow she didn't feel that it was. With all of the stress she had gone through she felt as if she were still walking through the woods with her kidnappers behind her.

~8~

 _One month after_

Nora's play had been a big success. She had said her lines boldly and with pride. Like Gil had promised, he sat in the front row with Sara. During the drive home, Nora explained how she wasn't really flying. Gil feigned surprise and Sara stifled a laugh. She thought it was amazing that Nora was doing so well. She was still having nightmares, but it could have been much worse.

They had taken her to see a therapist, but Nora wouldn't open up to her. The doctor had given Gil and Sara a list of warning signs and explained that some children didn't want to open up about their trauma. They still watched her and Sara was ready to take her to the therapist at the first sign of real danger.

"Kids are tougher than adults," Gil said to her one day. "They can survive. It'll all start to fade for her one day. She may have flashbacks and we can't lie to her about it, but she'll be okay."

Sara hoped he was right. She had been so strong in her own trauma, but Nora had loving parents to go to. She prayed that it would make a difference.

~8~

 _3 months after_

"That's a baby?" Nora asked her mother and father as she looked at the ultrasound.

Gil nodded and stooped down to her. "Yeah," he said, pointing to the screen. "That sound is the baby's heart."

Nora looked confused. "I thought babies came from the hospital," she said. "That's where you buy them."

Sara smiled at her. "Well," she explained. "That's where you go to get them out."

Nora was more confused. "How?" she asked.

~8~

 _5 months after_

"This is my brother," Nora explained to her friends as she patted Sara's belly. "He's as big as an apple."

It was Nora's eighth birthday and she was having her first sleepover. All of her little girlfriends gathered around Sara and patted her on the stomach.

"Hello baby," one little girl said.

"My mom has a baby in her," another one said.

"I know how they get there!" Nora exclaimed.

Sara held up her hand. The last thing she needed was disgruntled parents calling in anger saying that Nora had given their children a sex education talk.

"Nora, go show your friends your clubhouse," Sara said.

"Follow me!" Nora cried, turning and running out of the kitchen.

As the stampede left they nearly knocked over Gil, who had gone out to pick up the birthday cake. He set it on the counter and Sara walked over to look at it. Their daughter had asked for a butterfly cake and that's exactly what they got for her. Sara sank into a kitchen chair and rubbed her baby bump.

"He thinks it's his party too," Sara said.

Gil placed his hands lovingly on her shoulders and began to knead. "Go relax," he said, giving her a kiss on top of her head. "I got this for a while."

Sara scoffed. "They'll eat you for dinner," Sara joked as she stood back up.

~8~

 _8 months after_

Everything was ready, but Sara. They had the nursery set up and decorated, they had purchased clothes and diapers, and Nora had even taken classes about how to be a big sister. Gil was excited to have a son. It wasn't that he didn't love having a daughter, but now at least he had another male in the house.

They day their son came Nora was at school and Gil was at work. Sara was alone in the house, reorganizing a dresser drawer that she had sorted through repeatedly. A rush of water flowed down her legs and she bent over quickly.

"Too soon little guy," she said.

She knew it wasn't too soon; actually he was a little late. She grabbed the phone and tapped out Gil's number. She put her hand to her belly and patted it, waiting for the phone to connect.

~8~

 _10 months after_

"Daddy, can't he be quiet?" Nora asked, covering her ears with Mr. Bear.

Gil laughed at her. "You sounded just like that," he said, pulling her into his lap.

Ethan's cries subsided and Gil knew that Sara had finally settled down to nurse the baby. Having a new baby was something he was still getting used to, but he already loved his son fiercely. He was to be their last though; Sara had gotten a tubal ligation done.

"He's loud," Nora complained.

"He's hungry," Gil explained. "He isn't going to tell us what he wants. He only knows how to cry."

"I'll teach him to talk," Nora said. jumping off of Gil's lap to get a book to read to her brother.

~8~

 _12 months after_

Gil pulled the confirmation paper out of his wallet out of his wallet and handed it to the ranger. His family stood behind him and Nora was still in panic mode. Sara kept a firm grip on her hand and Ethan was asleep in his carrier that fitted over Sara's chest.

The ranger looked down at Nora and smiled. "The rangers go through each campsite every hour now," he explained to her. "And we have new cell phone towers so that you can use your phones."

On the one year anniversary of their kidnapping, Gil said that they should go back and show Nora that there was nothing to be afraid of. However, he wasn't taking any chances with Ethan being so young and he had brought a gun.

The ranger handed Nora the first aid kid and they left to go pick out their canoe. Like before, Gil took his place in the front and Nora sat in the middle. Sara felt afraid too. It hadn't been too long ago that she had paddled across this very same lake with Gil at death's door. They had told the park they were coming back and they reassured the Grissom family that they had tighter security. Rangers hiked the trails hourly and cellphone towers had been installed.

The sound of Ethan's cries broke Sara from her thoughts and she kissed his little head. She handed her paddle to Nora, who took it hesitantly, and lifted Ethan out of his carrier. She brought him close to her and swayed him gently.

"Look," Gil said to Nora. "See those dragonflies?"

Sara shook her head. "Unless they have glitter on them and ride unicorns," Sara said. "She won't care."

Gil shrugged. "I tried."

When their canoe reached the shore, Sara loaded the baby back up and climbed out of the canoe. Standing on the shore brought back flashbacks of struggling with Gil through the woods. For Nora, it brought back harsher memories and she clung to her father.

"It's okay," he said to her.

They didn't bring any gear, except for a cooler containing lunch, because they didn't plan to stay the night. Ethan was too young and Nora couldn't be expected to endure such a thing. Instead the family held hands and talked about life. They talked about how Ethan being born was a blessing and how killing Ted and Allen hadn't been bad. Nora didn't talk, but she looked around and kicked rocks into the lake.

"There's a deer, Nora," Sara said as she pointed to it.

They ate lunch at a picnic table that was near the lake and Sara talked about how quiet it was. Ethan squirmed and Sara nursed him. She stroked his baby soft hair and admired his little fingers.

"Ready to go?" Gil asked Nora.

Nora shook her head. "Let's just sit awhile," she said.

~8~

THE END

~8~

* * *

A/M 2: Now that it is over, what is the overall verdict? It was important to me that I give you guys this closure, because stories can be her on both readers and writers. I hope you enjoyed this story and maybe take a few things away from it. I hope you have a blessed day and leave me a review. Hey, this is the fastest I have ever FINISHED a story ha ha ha.


	11. Deleted Scene

**This really happened:**

"Pssst, Katyrye!"

Katy looks up* "Hello?"

"Over here!"

Katyrye looks down at the trash and pulls out a document called 'Exit Humanity Deleted Scenes'*

P.S: A lot are unfinished, just thought you'd want to see them.

* * *

~8~

* * *

Nora goes for help

~8~

Nora paddled as fast as she could. With all of her might she pushed the paddle into the water, pulled it out, then switched sides — like her father had shown her. She didn't know what was happening to her mother and father at the moment, and her little imagination scared her enough so that she paddled harder than she thought she could. She felt like she had been paddling forever and her arms were burning, but then she saw the rocky shore and paddled faster.

"Help!" she screamed before the canoe had even hit rock bottom. "Help me!"

After her canoe was close enough that she could get out and walk, she did. She waddled as quickly as she could manage, but slipped but rose quickly.

"Help me! My Mom and Dad need help!" she screamed as loud as she could.

Seeing her father alive again had scared her because she had never seen anybody look like that before. Her dad's face had been colorless and looked like he wouldn't be able to stand up if she pushed him over. Yet, he saved her. However, she was too young to comprehend what he had saved her from.

"HEELLLLPPPPP!" She cried so loud her throat burned.

With all of her might she pumped her legs and ran toward the visitors center. When she reached it, she pushed open. The little bell over the door sounded and the rangers inside looked up to see the crying, wet, panicking child.

"Honey, what's wrong?" the man behind the counter asked.

"Two men!" she said. "They shot my daddy and they want to kill my mommy!"

~8~

Ted Kills Ranger

~8~

"You folks lost," Gil and Sara heard.

Sara almost fainted with joy when she saw the park ranger approach. Gil pulled her close to him and she pulled Nora close to her.

"No sir," Ted replied. "Just taking a little hike."

Sara had been a CSI long enough to recognise confusion is someone's eyes, and the ranger looked confused.

"I'm about to get in the jeep and go back to the station," he asked carefully. "You folks need a lift."

"Our daughter," Gil said suddenly. "She's getting a little sick."

"Yes," Sara agreed. "We'll meet you down there. We just don't want her to keep walking."

Nora turned to them. "Mommy—" she started.

Sara put her finger to her lips and Nora turned around. Gil began to walk Nora toward the ranger.

"No, she needs to stay here with her parents," Ted said. "We're fine here."

"She's a child," Gil said. "She needs to go rest."

"I knew this would happen," Ted said as he pulled out a gun.

Sara didn't have long to shield Nora before the ranger was shot dead in the eye.

~8~

Knife on the Tent

~8~

When Sara woke up, she saw that Gil had fallen asleep, but he was laying in front of the entrance to tent. She sat up, rubbed a hand over her face, and felt a wave of nausea wash over her. She begged her body not to react — she didn't want to go out outside to where her two captors were.

"Are you awake?" she heard a man whisper.

Sara pursed her lips and tried not to scream. She turned her face to see the shadowy outline of a man — undoubtedly Ted. A moment later, something metallic pierced the side of the tent and slowly, the man began to drag it down the side.

"I know you're awake," he said.

Sara gulped.

~8~

Nora tries to run away

~8~

"Run!" Sarra called.

Nora stopped dead in her tracks. Her mother was struggling with Ted on top of her, but she had used the voice that told her not to disobey. She turned and ran as far away as she could. She didn't want to think about what Allen had done to her father, but her little mind couldn't help it. She imagined her father lying in the woods and bloodied.

"Little girl!" she heard Allen call. " Little girl, your daddy is asking for you."

Nora stopped, thought for a moment, but kept running. Suddenly, she slipped on a loose bed of leaves and felt herself fall. Her head hit the ground hard and her vision began to swim.

"There you are," Allen said as he grabbed her by the arm and lifted her up.

~8~

Nora finds Mr. Bear

~8~

Nora looked back at her parents and smiled. She had changed a lot since last year. Camping was something she would never do again, and her parents told her that she didn't have too. Nature was beautiful, and, though she was young, she knew that the peacefulness of its beauty was stolen from her.

"Nora," Sara called. "Don't wander. Stay close to us."

"Yes, mom," she called back.

She stepped up to the side of the lake and remembered the day her father had approached her in the woods. She had been so scared then, but the situation had taught her that she was braver than she thought. As she turned to go back to her family, something brown caught her eye. She bent down, grabbed it, and lifted it up.

"Mr. Bear," she said with smile.


End file.
